Metal-disintegrating apparatus



STATES PATENT or FlC-E.

EVERETT J. HALL, OF IPASSAIC, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 METALS DISINTEGRAT- IN'G COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. I

METAIrDISINTEGRATING APPARATUS Application filed peoember 20, 1917, Serial No. 208,166. Renewed October 30, 1922. Serial No. 598,012.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EVERETT J. HALL, a

, citizen of the United States, residing at Passaic,'in the county of Passaic, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal-Disintegrating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

I This invention has for its objects to providesimple and effective means for thoroughly disintegrating or reducing-metal to finely divided condition, and for properly feeding the metal which is to be disinte ated.

riefi nozzle or causing the feed of metal in a I molten state, including means for directing a jet of steam or other disintegrating gas on I converging lines into engagement with the molten metal issuing from the nozzle.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for imparting a rotary or whirling movement to the jet of disintegrating fluid.

Other features will appear as the specification proceeds.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing,'a practical embodiment of the invention but would have it understood that changes and modifications may be made without departure from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

In this drawin Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of t e apparatus; Figure 2 1s a side'view of the same looking at' the right hand side of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 3-3 of'Figure 1; Figure 4 is a representation in top andedge views-of th efjlet rotating ring.

a paratus, in themain, consists of a head or. ody member 5, having'a dependent,

preferably straight and vertical tubular extension 6, forming asu ply conduit for the molten metal, this hea [carrying a prefer- Communication with. a supply of molten metal is provided, in the illustration, b supportin the head with the supply con mt or neck thereof dip ing into atank or reservo1r 8 containin mo ten-metal. Also, in the illustration, t e supply conduit is arelatively short straight passage and'the nozzle 1s set stated, the invention comprises a blast or jet is created in achamber surrounddirectly'into the upper end of the passage with the bore therethrough forming a strai ht continuation of the supply passage. The eat of the molten metal in the tank, located as it is below, and around part of, the nozzle, is suflicient to keep the latter at the required temperature for most efiective distintegration, and the relatively short vertical passage thus provided for the metal prevents undue cooling of the metal during its travel to the nozzle, and, by allowing the metal to drain back freely, prevents any clogging of the passage when the feeding of the metal is discontinued.

The metal feeding and disintegrating ing the nozzle and terminating in an annular discharge orifice about the axis of the nozzle.

The innermost part of this chamber is designated 9, this being the part into which the steam or other disintegrating fluid is entered through a passage'lO, which passage is preferably disposed tangentially as shown, to initially impart a whirling movement to the jetfluid. 11" designates the supply conduit for such fluid. A more thorough whirling movement is given the jet by causing it, as it issues from the forward end of this chamber, to flow through passages 12 inclined to the axis of the nozzle, these passages being herein provided by the inclined .or helical beveled or tapered toward the discharge end thereof, as indicated at 18, to assist in converging the jet upon. the stream of metal.

The angle of this bevel affects the suction the more acute the an le,- the greater the suction, and the more 0 tuse the angle, the less the suction.

The effect of the blast of disintegrating gas directed on converging lines on all sides of the stream of molten metalis to disrupt the stream and reduce it practically to apowder, the blast tearing the metal apart as fast as it appears at the mouth of the nozzle. The powdered or disintegrated metal is collected as fast as it forms, by suction means or other suitable collecting agency so as to prevent any accumulation at the nozzle. The bore of the nozzle is of a size to restrict the flow of metal to an amount that will be properly atomized or disintegrated by the flow of the blast or jet provided, but such bore is also made large enoughto prevent clo ging of the metal therein.

e whirling vortex produced by the means described provides sufficient suction to accomplishproper feeding of the metal and the operation therefore becomes entirely automatic upon the formation of the jet.

It will be evident'from this that by controlling the jet, and or the level of the molten metal in the supply tank, the production of the disintegrated metal may be controlled at will. That is, the suction and height of lift determine the amountof metal flowing,

providing the metal passage of the nozzle is not less than a certain minlmum, where friction must be considered. As the suction is dependent upon the amount of gas flowing, or pressure, and or upon the angle at which the blast strikes the metal'stream, a drop in gas pressure means a correspondingly less amount of metal, thereby giving less capaclty, but without impairment of quality, since the as energy, though reduced, will still be amp e for the disintegration of the reduced Thus I am enabled to use amount of metal. a nozzle with metal passage largeenough to practically eliminate clogging; the size of the metal passage has, within limits, of course, nothing to do with the control of metal -flow, but this control de ends largely.

constant gas pressure, thefineness of disintegration may be controlled by varying the height of metal in the tank. Or, assuming constant s pressure, the control of feed as well aso fineness of disintegration, may be regulated by varying the angle at which the blast strikes the metal stream. 4

The whirling motion of the jet is of fur ther benefit in assisting in the suction or feeding, as well as in the disintegrating action. t increases the degree of vacuum at the tip of the nozzle, thus promoting the a feed of metal; and by reason of the centrifugal force generated, back ressure is prevented and disintegration muc increased, so that I am able to produce dust of extravas it issues from the nozzle",

ordinary fineness and uniformity, and with a simple apparatus that requires but little attention in its operation, because. of its automatic mutually compensating controls.

I claim: A 1. Metal disintegrating apparatus comprising a tank for molten metal, a nozzle for the molten metal immediately above and dipping into the tank, and means ,for entirely surrounding the stream of metal issuingfrom said nozzle with an ar nular jet of disintegrating fluid directed on converging lines upon saidstream of metal as it issues from the nozzle, whereby the metal is lifted from the tank to the nozzle and disintegrated.

2. Metal disintegrating apparatus com prising a tank for molten metal, a nozzle' for the molten metal immediately above and dipping intothe tank, and means for entirely surrounding the stream of metal issuing from said nozzle with a whirling annular jet of disintegrating fluid directed on converging lines upon said stream of metal whereby the metal is lifted from the tank to the nozzle and disintegrated.

3. Metal disintegrating ap aratus comprising a tank for molten meta a nozzle for the molten metal located above and dipping into the tank, a jet chamber surroundin the nozzle short of the outer end thereof an open to discharge towards the outer end of the nozzle, and means at the discharge end of the chamber for imparting awhirling movement to the jet issuing therefrom, "substantially as set forth.

4. Metal disintegrating ap aratus comprising a tank for molten meta a nozzle for the molten metal located above and dipping into the tank, a jet chamber surrounding the nozzle short of the outer end thereof and open towards the outer end of the nozzle, and a whirl-producing ring seated in the open end of the chamber and having inclined vanes on the periphery thereof establishing between them escape assages inclined to the axis of the nozzle, su stantially as set forth.

5. Metal disintegrating apparatus comprising a tankfor molten metal, a nozzle for the molten metal located above and diging into the tank, a 'et chamber surroun mg the nozzle short 0 the outer end thereof and open to discharge towards the discharge end of the nozzle, and a fluid-su ply conduit opening tangentially into sai chamber.

6. Metal. disintegrating ap aratus comprising a tank for molten meta a nozzle for the molten metal located above and dipping into the tank, a chamber having an annular dischar e .orifice surropnding the nozzle short 0 the ti portion thereof and having convergent wa s for directing a flow of disintegrating fiuid on converging lines to said orifice, and means for imparting a. 0

' clined to the axis of the nozzle, and an orifice member having an annular discharge orifice surrounding and below the tip portion of the nozzle and convergently inclined walls over the escape passages aforesaid.

. 8. Disintegrating apparatus for molten metal or the like material, comprising a tank for the material, a nozzle for the material,

vertically disposed, and in communication g with the tank, and means for entirely surrounding a stream of material as it issues from the'nozzle with an annular jet of disintegrating fluid directed on converging lines upon the stream.

9. Disinte rating apparatus for molten metal or thedike material, comprising a tank for the material, a nozzle for the material, vertically disposed, with its discharge end upward, and in communication with the tank, and means for entirely surrounding a stream of material as it issues from the nozzle with an annular jet of disintegrating fluid directedaon converging lines upon the stream.

.10. Disintegrating apparatus for molten metal or the like material, comprising a tank for the material, a nozzle for the material immediately above and dipping into the tank, the nozzle bein with its discharge en upward, and means for entirely surrounding a stream of material as it issues from the nozzle, with an annular jet of disintegrating fluid directed on converging lines u on the stream.

11. The process of isintegrating metal or the like material which comprises striking a vertical stream of molten metal or. like material simultaneously and equally on all sides thereof and on convergent angles with a rotating annular flow of disintegrating 12. The process of disintegrating metal or the like material which comprises striking an upwardl directed vertical stream of molten meta or like material simultaneously and equally on all sides thereof and on com ver ent angles with a rotating annular flow of disintegrating gas. In testimony w ereof I aflix my signature EVERETT J. HALL.-

vertically disposed 

